Choking on your moneyball after a difficult run

teedotaj

teedotaj

teedot oohhhhhh
Silver Member
I just want to share with everyone my experience with the moneyball.
To start off I'm not a world beater or a champion anywhere. I do play in a weekly league in Toronto and can at least consistenlt pocketballs and make shape (ok really more the latter than the former:p ).

A couple of days ago in an 8 ball match, I was hill-hill with an opponent, he had the 8 ball left while I had four balls to clear and then the 8.

It was my shot and it looked like an easy run out for me. I sank the first ball and went for the next. Second ball goes in but I got out of line for my next two balls and now am forced to make a long cut for the next ball. I took a deep breath, got low, and slowly cinched the next ball. I didn't want to take the risk of playing for shape in a difficult shot because if I missed, the 8 ball was only half a foot away from the corner pocket for my opponent. So I just cinched the long cut shot and to my relief I got it in. *phew

Now I'm left with another long difficult shot as my last ball before the eight with the cueball stuck on the short rail. With the angle I had, the shot would require just a bit of top and whitey would roll towards the eight. The problem was if I missed, then it would have been win for my opponent since I just gave him perfect shape for the eight.

It was a long diffult shot with cueball by the rail. Once again I got low, and slowly shot and again to my amazement the OB went in the pocket and I have left myself with a 1 foot shot for the 8!

What a relief! And I felt so clutch with those shots! two difficult shots I managed to pull off in a hill/hill match!

Down to my short putt for the eightball, not even chalking, I quickly got down for the 8 and shot. TO MY DISMAY IT RATTLED OUT of the pocket! I wanted to shoot myself. opponent takes the 8 and wins the match.

This ever happen to any of you guys? After pulling off a couple of difficult shot you miss a very easy shot for the cheese?

After the match, my opponent's captain approached me and said,

"you shot well, don't worry about the missed eight, you made two tough shots. But before you got down to shoot the eight, you needed to step back, take a breath then shoot to take away the excitement of the previous two shots."
--> I will forever remember this lesson >.<
 
Last edited:
Of course it has happened to me and anyone else that has ever played.

It happens most of the time, after people change their pre-shot routine or change their mind-set when they're about to pull the trigger on the money ball. This is exactly what you did, according to your post.

I know it's easier said than done, but we have to keep the same pre-shot routine for every single ball, hanger or not.

Good luck next time.
 
Thats happened more than I would like to admit. Try to treat an easy eight like a difficult shot. Get down and take your time. Chalking the cue will give you an extra minute to think about it so make sure to do that as well.
 
We have all done it.

You have to accept what you did wrong and learn from it. It sounds like that is what you are doing.

Next time you are in a similar situation, don't take the shot for granted, take your time, and you'll be fine.

Just about every tournament winning final ball I see on ESPN, the player will take time to relax and focus, then approach the shot as if it is difficult, no matter how easy it is. I'd be willing to bet they do this because they've learned from a situation similar to yours.
 
This actually reminds me of a funny story. I was playing at a local bar and I was probably what most would consider being drunk (vodka redbulls and pool are not a good mix :thumbup: ). We were playing $5 a game at eight ball. I got on the eight with a dead straight shot into the side. I turned to my opponent and asked if he concedes (he is a friend of mine). He declines so I turn around to shoot the shot with a touch of draw. Well it ended up being more than a touch of draw and I drew the cueball directly into the opposite side pocket. I was so mad at myself.
 
I know it's easier said than done, but we have to keep the same pre-shot routine for every single ball, hanger or not.

Good luck next time.[/QUOTE]

Well said.

"You can not turn precision on and off." Mark Wilson You must be precise every time.

"Perform the ceremony" Zen in the Art of Archery (Every time - SWC)
 
i do this but not on the money ball. i think it stems from the feeling of relief once you have unsolved the puzzle and everything else gets easy. thats when i become lackadasical (or however thats spelled). i think its when you lose that intense focus and relax you may do the same preshot routine physically but not mentally. i end up over the ball with my mind in my butt thinking about the 6 ball and if burger king is still open when im shoothing the 8 and the 9 is in the side hanging. thats when i miss the 8 and leave the easy 2 ball out. I have noticed this on a few occasions and it is currently part of my practice to fully concentrate on all shots. I think its good for everyone to take a break from running balls or playing the ghost to focus on the mental aspect of the game. my guess is that most people on az have a good stoke and mechanics but few have the pro caliber concentration that leads to consistant execution.
 
Sure. Everyone has done it. Lack of preparation and concentration.

" the hardest shot in pool is the easy shot after a hard shot"
 
I'm betting you were concerned about missing the money ball before you shot it. Most people who consistenly miss the case ball start thinking to themselves "don't miss!". The problem is that your brain doesn't process the word don't, you simply visualize the eight ball missing.

Don't think of a an apple!

I bet you just thought of one.

Instead, just tell yourself, silently, what you want to do. In your case, "I'm going to roll in the eight ball".
 
Cameron Smith said:
I'm betting you were concerned about missing the money ball before you shot it. Most people who consistenly miss the case ball start thinking to themselves "don't miss!". The problem is that your brain doesn't process the word don't, you simply visualize the eight ball missing.

Don't think of a an apple!

I bet you just thought of one.

Instead, just tell yourself, silently, what you want to do. In your case, "I'm going to roll in the eight ball".
Click to expand...

I will try that too. Be more assertive. Think "I need to get this in" instead of "I better not miss!"

Cameron I think you are right about that!
 
Missing the pay ball

One of the best ways I have found to help with this problem is to play shape on an imaginary ball after the pay ball is made. This helps to keep all the pressure from building on one shot and also helps maintain rhythm that got you to the pay ball. Even more, you know where the cueball is going to be when the shot is over.
 
Stop and think where you want to put the white.

Doug said:
One of the best ways I have found to help with this problem is to play shape on an imaginary ball after the pay ball is made. This helps to keep all the pressure from building on one shot and also helps maintain rhythm that got you to the pay ball. Even more, you know where the cueball is going to be when the shot is over.
Click to expand...

I agree. Stop and decide where to put the c.b. If nothing else, this will introduce a pause that should stop you rushing into the shot, making it more likely that you will follow your pre-shot routine.
 
GADawg said:
Sure. Everyone has done it. Lack of preparation and concentration.

" the hardest shot in pool is the easy shot after a hard shot"
Click to expand...

I haven't looked up the wording of the actual quote in a while, so I may be paraphrasing slightly, but Luther Lassiter is considered by many to be the greatest ball-pocketer of all time, and I like what he has to say on this topic:

"I found I stopped missing these shots when I came to the realization that there is no such thing as an easy shot."

I've been trying to realize this concept in my pool game, and it has been helping my shot-making consistency.

-Andrew
 
uh huh

I remember watching a young lady at hill-hill doing the same sort of thing in a big tournament once......she was playing someone who was rated shortstop speed, and improbably made some really difficult shots to get to a nine-ball which was about the same proximity as your eight-ball......in other words, it was a pretty simple straight in shot, and she rushed it (just as you said you did) without her usual pre-shot routine, and "jarred it" leaving it for the opponent for an easy win. I think the key was when you just bent over and shot it quickly without taking your time and concentrating on stroking it straight and accurately. Part of your mindset is to hurry up and end the pressure- filled sequence you have just gone through, and you give up the focus. Of course, we have all done the same. I usually think that it's such an easy shot, I would look silly taking a lot of time to shoot it, but this is a good lesson to prove that ANY shot could be missed, without the proper focus.
 
I've been plagued with choking on the money ball and/or key shot my entire pool playing life. I've tried many ways to solve the problem, read lots of books and articles, etc, and nothing helped. The only thing that has helped is the information I found in article from the attached link. The article is entitled Sinkin' the Money Ball
by Tom Simpson. He's a Master BCA Instructor. This has helped me a lot.

http://www.poolplayers.com/instruction/simpson/moneyball.html


teedotaj said:
I just want to share with everyone my experience with the moneyball.
To start off I'm not a world beater or a champion anywhere. I do play in a weekly league in Toronto and can at least consistenlt pocketballs and make shape (ok really more the latter than the former:p ).

A couple of days ago in an 8 ball match, I was hill-hill with an opponent, he had the 8 ball left while I had four balls to clear and then the 8.

It was my shot and it looked like an easy run out for me. I sank the first ball and went for the next. Second ball goes in but I got out of line for my next two balls and now am forced to make a long cut for the next ball. I took a deep breath, got low, and slowly cinched the next ball. I didn't want to take the risk of playing for shape in a difficult shot because if I missed, the 8 ball was only half a foot away from the corner pocket for my opponent. So I just cinched the long cut shot and to my relief I got it in. *phew

Now I'm left with another long difficult shot as my last ball before the eight with the cueball stuck on the short rail. With the angle I had, the shot would require just a bit of top and whitey would roll towards the eight. The problem was if I missed, then it would have been win for my opponent since I just gave him perfect shape for the eight.

It was a long diffult shot with cueball by the rail. Once again I got low, and slowly shot and again to my amazement the OB went in the pocket and I have left myself with a 1 foot shot for the 8!

What a relief! And I felt so clutch with those shots! two difficult shots I managed to pull off in a hill/hill match!

Down to my short putt for the eightball, not even chalking, I quickly got down for the 8 and shot. TO MY DISMAY IT RATTLED OUT of the pocket! I wanted to shoot myself. opponent takes the 8 and wins the match.

This ever happen to any of you guys? After pulling off a couple of difficult shot you miss a very easy shot for the cheese?

After the match, my opponent's captain approached me and said,

"you shot well, don't worry about the missed eight, you made two tough shots. But before you got down to shoot the eight, you needed to step back, take a breath then shoot to take away the excitement of the previous two shots."
--> I will forever remember this lesson >.<
Click to expand...
 
Samiel said:
I did it last week hill-hill in a tournament. This is where the mental game comes in! :p
Click to expand...

Same result here, couple of weeks ago at Crazy 8's.....frustrating to say the least.....

Everyone has offered great input here....it happens for a number of reasons....and it happens to everyone....

Along the same lines, I've also seen too many players take their guard down on an easy cut for the money and scratch.....they don't focus on leave and exactly where they want the cue to go.....
 
teedotaj said:
[snip]

It was my shot and it looked like an easy run out for me. I sank the first ball and went for the next. Second ball goes in but I got out of line for my next two balls and now am forced to make a long cut for the next ball. I took a deep breath, got low, and slowly cinched the next ball. I didn't want to take the risk of playing for shape in a difficult shot because if I missed, the 8 ball was only half a foot away from the corner pocket for my opponent. So I just cinched the long cut shot and to my relief I got it in. *phew
Click to expand...

Some good stuff from everyone.

1. The other captain is exactly right. I've noticed a pronounced tendency in myself and others to miss a simple shot right after making a hero shot. Maybe you, briefly, think you're infallible; maybe you're still celebrating or reliving the hero shot; whatever the cause, it's common. So years ago I started reminding myself after making a great shot that I'm at peak risk of missing an easy shot and ruining my hard work, and that seems to work. (I don't really have a set pre-shot routine, so this advice is similar to but different from the advice to have and stick to a routine).

2. The part in bold in your quote suggests some questionable thinking. In a situation where you have to get out to win, you shouldn't be maximizing the probability of making the next shot, but the probability of getting out. If you shoot shots that are 80%, 50%, and 20% shots then you'll get out 8% of the time. If you shoot three 50% shots, then you'll get out 12.5% of the time. The second option is better, even though the first shot is harder (50% vs. 80%).

Cory
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top